Calgary, Alberta is one of the fastest growing cities in North America. The Alberta oil and gas industry has experienced such rapid growth in the last few years which has created an overflow of new residents and tourists. For first time visitors to the city, there are a few must see and must attend events that aren’t to be missed. With such a huge growth, the city itself is a hotbed of western culture, art and sports. Calgary is also home to one of the most loyal fan bases in Canadian sports; owing their allegiance to the Calgary Flames. If you like music, theater, western culture, architecture or sports, Calgary definitely has something to offer you. It’s is a great place to visit and is frequently listed amongst the best cities in the world. In 2007, Forbes magazine listed Calgary as one of the cleanest cities in the world, which is quite admirable in today’s society.
Here are five things to check out during your visit to Calgary…
The Calgary Tower: The Calgary tower is an extremely large tower located in the downtown core. The tower features a lookout deck that offers a spectacular view of the city and also features a revolving restaurant at the top of the tower. This has been one of the main attractions within the city for many years and is still a very popular tourist destination.
The Calgary Zoo: This is the second largest zoo in Canada and it is widely recognized as being one of the better zoos in the world. The Calgary zoo plays host to an incredible number of species that you will be unable to see anywhere else. The zoo is open year round and features different sections devoted to the different animal ecosystems of our planet.
The EPCOR Center for the Performing Arts: EPCOR is shared between several Calgary artistic groups and houses several performance venues. The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, One Yellow Rabbit Theater, Theater Calgary and Alberta Theater Projects all call EPCOR home. One Yellow Rabbit also plays host to the International High Performance Rodeo, one of Calgary’s greatest arts festivals. EPCOR is located downtown, very close to the Calgary tower and one could easily see a show at EPCOR and enjoy the tower during the same day.
The Saddledome: One of the most interesting arenas in North America, the Saddledome has come to symbolize Calgary as the city of cowboys. The Arena literally looks like a giant saddle, and is the place to go if you want to check out a Calgary Flames game while you are in town during the NHL season. This is hockey at its finest and the game is well loved in Canada. Enjoy a little camaraderie with some of your new, sports-loving Canadian friends!
The Calgary Stampede: This is probably what Calgary is most famous for and, if you are lucky enough to be in the city during Stampede, it simply cannot be missed. One of the largest Rodeos in the world featuring world famous Chuck wagon races, the Stampede also features Midway rides, grandstand shows by some of the worlds biggest acts and much, much more. Calgary has become famous for this event and, especially if you’ve never been to a rodeo, this will be an experience you’ll treasure forever.
No matter what you decide to do while you are in Alberta, have fun doing it. There is so much to offer in Calgary but there are also several other cities in the area that hold just as much fun within their boundaries. So whether it’s a day at the beach, a tour through the museum or a glass banging hockey game, Alberta, Canada is sure to please any fun-seeking traveler.
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This entry was posted on Thursday, February 12th, 2009 at 8:49 am and is filed under North America. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
